Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa nominated as Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate
The Minister of Foreign Affairs-designate, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has assured Ghanaians of a modernised technological approach to reducing the pressure at the country’s passport acquisition centers.
According to him, there is a backlog of over 70,000 passports awaiting issuance.
He noted that the situation is concerning and requires an overhaul.
Appearing before the Appointments Committee on January 31, 2025, for his vetting, he stated, “I don’t think Ghanaians who have a Ghana Card should be required to visit the passport office for their biometrics. We should be able to interface with the Communications Ministry so that individuals can apply for their passports from home successfully.”
“I also want to eliminate the need to return to the passport office to collect passports. We need to engage courier services,” he added.
The passport application process has become a significant source of inconvenience for many Ghanaians, as processing times are excessively long.
Ablakwa emphasised, “I would like to use technology to reform the passport application system,” listing this as one of his key priorities when approved as minister.
SSD/MA
The next four years under Mahama will be a golden age for fintech – Sam George